Police probe role of Lawrence Bishnoi gang after firing at businessman’s office

3 min readPuneJun 23, 2026 09:50 PM IST

The firing was reported after alleged extortion calls made to the businessman by suspects claiming to be members of the Bishnoi gang. (File Photo)

Pune city police are investigating the role of a crime syndicate led by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, after unidentified suspects opened fire and shot four rounds outside a steel businessman’s office late on Monday. The firing was reported after alleged extortion calls made to the businessman by suspects claiming to be members of the Bishnoi gang.

Officials said that the complainant businessman has an office and storage facility in the Fursungi area on Hadapsar Saswad road. On Monday afternoon, the complainant received a call from a man claiming to be a member of the dreaded Bishnoi gang demanding a ransom and threatening harm if not paid. Later in the night, unidentified persons opened fire outside his office. No one was hurt in the incident.

“A complaint of extortion was received at Wanwadi police station by the businessman at around 7 pm on Monday. The complainant was taken to Fursungi Police station for further action. It came to light that he had received a call around 4:30 pm from a person identifying himself as Arzoo Bishnoi demanding ransom. While the complainant was at the police station, four rounds were fired at his establishment at around 8.10 pm. Accordingly, an FIR has been registered at the Fursungi Police station. The Crime Branch is probing the case further,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Gauhar Hasan.

An officer who is part of the probe said, “We are investigating a social media post in the name of Arzoo Bishnoi and Shubham Lonkar, which has claimed responsibility for the firing and has threatened further dire consequences if ransom demand was not met. Both Arzoo and Lonkar are known members of the Bishnoi gang,” The case again points to the growing footprint of the Bishnoi gang in Maharashtra.

The Lawrence Bishnoi gang is described by law enforcement as an interstate organised crime network involved in extortion, contract killings, arms smuggling, and intimidation. Its alleged operations and linkages extend beyond India through associates and conduits, giving it an international footprint despite its leadership being largely in custody, officials said.

A probe by the Pimpri Chinchwad police last month revealed that a Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Kuldeep alias Kashish, who is currently in jail in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case, allegedly gave instructions through a social media account for firing at a Furniture mall in Punawale. Two motorcycle-borne youngsters had allegedly fired bullets at the furniture mall on the Aundh-Ravet BRTS Road in the Punawale area of Pimpri Chinchwad on May 16. Soon after, an audio clip and screenshot of a Facebook post claiming that the firing was done by members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang went viral.